JOIN USLest they fall behind in rat race for jobs
Realising the need for students in government colleges to connect with companies and increase their career opportunities, the Department of Collegiate Education (DCE) is making efforts to strengthen placement activities in all such colleges.
It recently asked all 400-odd colleges to mandatorily set up placement cells. Besides providing a platform to connect with companies, the placement cell will also engage in activities that help students improve other aspects of getting placed such as improving communication skills. A nodal placement officer for these activities in the state has also been appointed.
A Narayan Prasad, state nodal officer for placement activities, said, “In the last two to three months, every college has been asked to open a placement cell with a lecturer as convener. It will have to arrange workshops to inform students about various competitive exams such as bank exams, civil services exams conducted by UPSC and KPSC, conduct mock interviews, provide information on resume writing, dress code and other essentials of getting jobs,” he said.
The placement cell will primarily work to invite companies, arrange campus selection for students and conduct job melas. “Engaging in such activities will make students realise their capabilities and weak points. All these activities are still in the nascent stages. It will take at least two years for such efforts to be fully streamlined,” he added. Colleges in rural areas will be asked to coordinate with those in district headquarters.
While presently there are placement cells in a few colleges, these conduct their own placement activities with very less coordination with the department.
“On issues of placements, there is a need to closely monitor progress, regularly update information and pass on the same to students.
The renewed effort is a means to support the students’ efforts to find jobs. While every college needs to have its own placement cell, coordinated by its faculty, not all colleges have them. As a means to promote these activities, workshops are being conducted in all six regions,” said an official from the department.
Government First Grade College, HSR Layout, Bangalore, has a very active placement cell that has tied up with four companies for providing training to students and also recruit them.
The college’s students have regularly been recruited by companies. Its principal, Dr M Gopal Reddy, more than anyone realises the importance of a placement cell. “Providing training and giving opportunities to students in government colleges is a must, lest they are left far behind in the race to improve their career and close the gap on lost opportunities.
A lot still needs to be done by means of better networking with the corporate sector. Our curriculum is also not suited to the corporate requirements and more needs to be done in this regard,” he said.